Valve having radially contained packing with axially acting follower

Claim 1

A SEALING MEANS FOR A VALVE HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS THEREIN ADAPTED FOR THE FLOW OF FLUID THERETHROUGH, A VALVE MEMBER POSITIONED IN THE VALVE BETWEEN SAID OPENINGS AND ADAPTED TO PERMIT PASSAGE OF FLUID BETWEEN SAID OPENINGS AND ADAPTED TO BE MOVED TO ANOTHER POSITION IN WHICH SAID FLOW OF FLUID BETWEEN SAID OPENINGS IS PREVENTED, COMPRISING A FLUID CHAMBER, A VALVE STEM RECIPROCABLE THROUGH A WALL OF SAID CHAMBER, A SEALING MEMBER ENCIRCLING SAID STEM TO PREVENT LEAKAGE OF FLUID FROM SAID CHAMBER ALONG SAID STEM, A PISTON FIXED TO SAID STEM AT A POINT REMOVED FROM SAID CHAMBER WALL, A FOLLOWER GLAND ADAPTED TO PRESS SAID SEALING MEANS INTO POSITION BETWEEN SAID STEM AND WALL OF SAID CHAMBER, A SPRING PLATE ADAPTED TO EXERT PRESSURE ON SAID FOLLOWER GLAND, A COIL SPRING ADAPTED TO EXERT PRESSURE BETWEEN SAID PISTON AND SAID SPRING PLATE, SAID SEALING MEANS COMPRISING A SERIES OF RINGS OF RESILIENT MATERIAL HAVING TRUNCATED-TRIANGULAR CROSS-SECTIONS, EVERY OTHER RING IN SAID SERIES BEING SHAPED WITH THE BASE OF SAID TRUNCATED-TRIANGULAR CROSS-SECTION FACING TOWARD SAID STEM AND THE ALTERNATE RINGS IN SAID SERIES BEING SHAPED WITH THE BASES OF SAID TRUNCATED-TRIANGULAR CROSS-SECTIONS FACING AWAY FROM SAID STEM.